Known as the modern-day chase master, Virat Kohli was once again at the top of his game when India defeated Australia in the opening semi-final of the Champions Trophy 2025 on Tuesday, March 4. As India secured their spot in the eight-team tournament’s finals, which will take place in Dubai, Kohli, who scored 84 off 98 balls, was also named Player of the Match.
Virat Kohli addressed his propensity to win games for the team with the bat, claiming that his love of cricket and his even greater love for batting are the sole reasons he has been able to continue scoring and leading the Men in Blue to victory.
“Man, I really adore playing the game. I simply adore batting. As long as there is still a sense of delight and passion for batting,
After that, everything else sort of falls into place. Avoid putting your head down in a difficult circumstance. And simply keep striving for the team’s goals.
You’ll typically get outcomes like this,” Virat Kohli informed BCCI.
“At this point in my career, for me, it’s all about simply getting up for these games, getting fired up, showing up, and hopefully giving my best work for the team, running hard between the wickets, and playing to the situation’s expectations. Therefore, it goes without saying that you feel great when everything comes together and comes off. And it’s a wonderful feeling to get the team over the finish line’, the Delhi native continued.
India lost both openers in the first powerplay, making it difficult to chase the 265-run goal. The team was saved from difficulty when Shreyas Iyer (45 runs) joined Kohli. After an outstanding unbeaten 42 from KL Rahul and a crucial partnership with Shreyas Iyer, Kohli thinks that Rahul’s final run will guarantee Rohit Sharma & Co. a position in the final.
“When players continue to step up throughout the innings, the team feels fantastic. Naturally, it feels fantastic when the team wins. We were a little anxious when Hardik made those two important shots. KL finished the game with an excellent batting performance. I had a fantastic collaboration with Shreyas. The whole effort is what matters to us. It’s a wonderful place for people. You have a few days off after qualifying for the finals, so there’s plenty to look forward to,” he added.
India
